Diamond Color Centers in Diamonds for Chemical and Biochemical Analysis and Visualization

Beyond the sparkle, other properties of diamond havegained increasing attention in the past few decades amongchemists and physicists. Color centers-impurities formed byone or a few foreign atoms or vacancies in the diamondlattice-are one reason for this. While pure diamond istransparent, the presence of color centers causes changes incoloration. Color centers introduce additional electronic statesin the wide band gap of diamond, giving rise to transitions thatabsorb and emit light in the visible spectrum

Consensus Recommendation for Mouse Models of Ocular Hypertension to Study Aqueous Humor Outflow and Its Mechanisms.

Due to their similarities in anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology to humans, mice are a valuable model system to study the generation and mechanisms modulating conventional outflow resistance and thus intraocular pressure. In addition, mouse models are critical for understanding the complex nature of conventional outflow homeostasis and dysfunction that results in ocular hypertension. In this review, we describe a set of minimum acceptable standards for developing, characterizing, and utilizing mouse models of open-angle ocular hypertension. We expect that this set of standard practices will increase scientific rigor when using mouse models and will better enable researchers to replicate and build upon previous findings

Consensus recommendation for mouse models of ocular hypertension to study aqueous humor outflow and its mechanisms

Due to their similarities in anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology to humans, mice are a valuable model system to study the generation and mechanisms modulating conventional outflow resistance and thus intraocular pressure. In addition, mouse models are critical for understanding the complex nature of conventional outflow homeostasis and dysfunction that results in ocular hypertension. In this review, we describe a set of minimum acceptable standards for developing, characterizing, and utilizing mouse models of open-angle ocular hypertension. We expect that this set of standard practices will increase scientific rigor when using mouse models and will better enable researchers to replicate and build upon previous findings

Pharmacokinetics and distribution in interstitial and pulmonary epithelial lining fluid of danofloxacin in ruminant and preruminant calves

The objective of this study was to compare active drug concentrations in the plasma vs. different effector compartments including interstitial fluid (ISF) and pulmonary epithelial lining fluid (PELF) of healthy preruminating (3-week-old) and ruminating (6-month-old) calves. Eight calves in each age group were given a single subcutaneous (s.c.) dose (8 mg/kg) of danofloxacin. Plasma, ISF, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid were collected over 96 h and analyzed by high-pressure liquid chromatography. PELF concentrations were calculated by a urea dilution assay of the BAL fluids. Plasma protein binding was measured using a microcentrifugation system. For most preruminant and ruminant calves, the concentration–time profile of the central compartment was best described by a two-compartment open body model. For some calves, a third compartment was also observed. The time to maximum concentration in the plasma was longer in preruminating calves (3.1 h) vs. ruminating calves (1.4 h). Clearance (CL/F) was 385.15 and 535.11 mL/h/kg in preruminant and ruminant calves, respectively. Ruminant calves maintained higher ISF/plasma concentration ratios throughout the study period compared to that observed in preruminant calves. Potential reasons for age-related differences in plasma concentration–time profiles and partitioning of the drug to lungs and ISF as a function of age are explored

Cytotoxicity control of SiC nanoparticles introduced into polyelectrolyte multilayer films

International audienceNowadays, biosensor technology development is directed toward improvement of sensing devices' biocompatibility. Polyelectrolyte multilayer films (PEMs) consisting of natural polymers seem to be appropriate for electrode coverage and localization of semiconducting nanoparticles in order to create controllable polymer-nanoparticles tridimensional networks. However, control of nanoparticles' release from films and in a consequence their cytotoxicity is still a challenge. In this study we demonstrated that the cytotoxic effect of silicon carbide (SiC) nanoparticles introduced by the plasma activated chemical vapor deposition (PACVD) method into poly-l-lysine/hyaluronic acid (PLL/HA) or poly-l-lysine/alginate acid (PLL/ALG) films could be controlled by chemical cross-linking of the polyelectrolyte film. Herein, we tested two types of cross-linkers N-hydrosulfosuccinimide/1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylamino-propyl)carbodiimide (NHS/EDC) and genipin reagent. Analysis of nanoparticle distribution by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has shown conglomerate formation in each film type. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images indicated a cubic structure of SiC and localization of nanoparticles in the polymer coating. Among the tested cross-linkers, either NHS/EDC or genipin seem to be suitable for control of nanocomposite properties due to low cytotoxicity and an effective stabilization of the polymer-nanoparticle interaction, resulting in a lower release rate of nanoparticles from the films

Graphene based porous coatings with antibacterial and antithrombogenous function—Materials and design

International audienc